Gift drive a success in BarrowPublished on February 4th, 2010 By KAYLA R. JEFFRESS
Ilisagvik student services assistant Saga Aina poses as Santa at the Barrow Senior Center. (Courtesy Photo, JOE OKAKOK) Gift donations from the entire Barrow community and the gift of time and effort from Ilisagvik College students helped to brighten the holiday season for many community members in 2009. From Nov. 20 to Dec. 15 the Ilisagvik College Student Government and Student Services department worked together to collect gifts for families in Barrow. Student body president Renee Hobson and vice president Joseph Okakok came up with the idea for the gift drive. They coordinated with fellow student Ben Cunningham and student services assistant Saga Aina, cultural activities specialist Ruth Aiken, and van driver Will Pili to make several gift-donation drop boxes and placed them in various locations around Barrow. During their collection period the students and staff members gathered more than 300 gifts, enough to generously distribute to families and institutions in the community. On Christmas Eve, Okakok, Cunningham and Aina delivered the gifts to the North Slope Borough Arctic Women in Crisis Shelter, Child and Youth Services, the Barrow Senior Center, and low-income families. "It felt great," Okakok said. "It is better to give than to receive!" Student services assistant Saga Aina added, "we all felt good. Just seeing the smiles on faces at the Senior Center and at CYS, everyone was happy. It was really fulfilling." On Christmas Day they took the surplus gifts to various churches. For their hard work on this project, Ilisagvik College president Beverly Patkotak Grinage applauded the student government. "They thought of this endeavor on their own, and used their energy and initiative to make a merrier Christmas for others! Their community engagement and service is an asset to Ilisagvik College and our North Slope community." President Grinage concluded by saying "Quyanaqpak!" to Ipalook Elementary School for its generous donation of books and toys to the gift drive. Kayla R. Jeffress is the administrative assistant of External Relations and Development at Ilisagvik College in Barrow. Contact us about this article at editor@thearcticsounder.com |
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